69 million page views

Certain Islamic positions may indeed be anti-democratic and anti-patriotic

Reader comment on item: Department of Corrections (of Others' Factual Mistakes about Me)

Submitted by Ted (United States), Aug 7, 2010 at 15:06

Dear Dr Pipes:

Your statement about Islam and Democracy ( "...Islam can be interpreted many ways, and there is nothing about it that immutably contradicts democracy...") is not entirely correct. If I were a Muslim, I would have lived under the guidance of the five pillars of Islam (Shahada, Prayer, Hajj, Charity, and Fasting). When you reduce Islam to these five principles, there is not only nothing bad in Islam but also there is a lot good in it (Shahada is the only thing that is moderately objectionable to me but that is beside the point here).

However, the way Islam is practiced, it does not limit itself to its five fundamental principles. Under its broadest interpretation, Islam is not only against democracy but also against patriotism. I will explain.

First, Islam does not differentiate between church and the state. In fact, it (at least in practice) tells the rulers that they should rule muslims and non-muslims differently. This principle blatantly contradicts democracy. Take the example of Pakistan. During various stages of its existence it has experimented with democracy for brief periods. In Pakistani senate there are reserved seats for minorities like Hindus, Christians and others. Thus, the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, not only mandates the state to differentiate between religions, it mandates the state to define religions (thus, should some Jews or Wiccans take Pakistani citizenship --God forbid--, the Pakistani state will have to define them and allocate seats for them in the senate. That does not make much sense.

Secondly, success of democracy requires certain amount of patriotism from the citizens. Islam under its broadest interpretation may require a citizen to be unpatriotic. At the core of this problem is the Islamic concept of ummah (community). Muslims are required to make trans-national bonds with people living thousands of miles away across national boundaries. The driving force behind these bonds is merely the membership in the same religion. This tendency is not entirely limited to Muslims only. Catholics get at least some non-spiritual guidance from the Pope. Jews living in one country bond with the Jews in others. Hindus of India feel symathetic to Hindus of Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Some of these tendencies are human and natural but when it comes to Islam these tendencies take dangerous proportions (that is why, for example, the 9/11 bombers could assemble a truly international group of criminals, and why Al Qaeda is a multinational mafia).

So you are right that under certain interpretations Islam does not contradict democracy but under the prevailing interpretations it contradics both democracy and nationhood as we know it.

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (45) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
2The toxic brew of Islamists and the Regressive Left [338 words]dhimmi no moreAug 26, 2017 09:44240600
Eventually, the sun always shines through [299 words]Michael SSep 27, 2017 17:46240600
2The source of the plot of the 2011 Muhammad's video? The Sira is the source! And Islamists, the Regressive Left and evil Politicians [400 words]dhimmi no moreOct 3, 2017 12:39240600
1You have gotten off lightly, Daniel [200 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Michael SAug 14, 2017 15:30240473
Shoddy journalism or deliberate misinformation? [103 words]JeffApr 9, 2017 10:37238352
Truth Tellers and Liars: The New Diversity? [37 words]DaveDec 3, 2016 17:41234480
Good clarifications [80 words]AnonJun 18, 2013 23:58207086
1Soft intellectualism [130 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Alan MeyerMay 24, 2013 23:39206312
1Tough test for soft intellectualism [158 words]PrashantDec 5, 2016 02:58206312
I'm sorry Dr Pipes [168 words]Will EmbersMay 21, 2013 14:53206213
2The liberal age revisited [118 words]dhimmi no moreMay 24, 2013 09:11206213
I disagree, Dhimmi [153 words]Will EmbersMay 26, 2013 20:30206213
3Islam and history [587 words]dhimmi no moreMay 27, 2013 09:08206213
6التكرار يعلم الحمار and Muslims in the west [118 words]dhimmi no moreMay 20, 2013 06:41206187
Puzzled When Jews Attack Peters [55 words]DaveDec 18, 2011 10:15191817
1Islamists like to "play" victim [98 words]PrashantDec 20, 2011 07:10191817
You, Dr. Pipes speak the truth, ! [25 words]Phil GreendAug 8, 2010 08:13176486
Certain Islamic positions may indeed be anti-democratic and anti-patriotic [435 words]TedAug 7, 2010 15:06176461
Ebrahim "eboo" Patel being invited by B Hussein Obama [466 words]SvetlanatchkahFeb 12, 2009 00:40150289
Excellent Reference about Ebrahim Eboo Patel [44 words]YnnatchkahAug 1, 2008 14:13136064
1Eboo Patel [39 words]sam patelAug 16, 2008 13:13136064
Deeply appreciate your kindness [149 words]YnnatchkahAug 16, 2008 19:07136064
typical [122 words]VijayAug 11, 2010 06:54136064
Ad absurdo [141 words]Rebecca MouldsJul 20, 2008 01:34135417
My view on ABC News [124 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiJul 19, 2008 23:26135410
Feeling very offended [93 words]NancyNov 21, 2008 12:42135410
Islam and Democracy [299 words]moDec 13, 2007 17:17116129
Iran doesn't elect there rules, they elect there PR representative [104 words]AndyDec 30, 2009 01:13116129
2Re: Want to deny American Muslims the vote? [99 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
USNov 26, 2007 12:38114945
Denying females, muslims and jews the right to vote [176 words]James BurkeNov 3, 2007 09:00112997
People make "Carnaval" to find ways... [209 words]YnnatchkahJul 8, 2007 04:01103224
islamofascism [10 words]jon purizhanskyJan 14, 2007 15:2572866
Doctor Pipes and the Jyllands- Posten [154 words]Octavio JohansonNov 21, 2006 16:0966864
Rhetoric and the term "Islamists" [578 words]Tim CleavelandAug 30, 2006 13:1654391
Christian Genocide? [66 words]August WilliamsJul 20, 2008 18:4754391
Mearsheimer and Walt [104 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
B.A. KirkenMar 20, 2006 15:1440817
Amazing! [834 words]Mrs4Jun 22, 2006 13:4740817
1From Campus to Caliphate - University to Ummah [71 words]Ben van de PolderMar 12, 2006 01:4939802
Doesn't History Say No? [107 words]Solomon2Mar 1, 2006 13:3438516
Facts versus opinion [69 words]Norman WandFeb 21, 2006 18:5336876
everyone can tell their own opinion [29 words]calizo joyJan 16, 2007 02:2736876
DENIAL OF INVOLVEMENT [112 words]donvanFeb 20, 2006 15:5736581
Nor is this a clash of civilizations [121 words]Alain RobertFeb 17, 2006 23:0236160
Jyllands-Posten [48 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Peter KofodFeb 9, 2006 04:2234567
Just saw that [13 words]UKFeb 6, 2006 19:5533987

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)